City cues up for tribute to Alex Higgins

Manchester could be set for a permanent memorial to snooker legend Alex Higgins. The Northern Irish firebrand was found dead at his flat last month at the age of 61 after a long battle with throat cancer.

Manchester could be set for a permanent memorial to snooker legend Alex Higgins.

The Northern Irish firebrand was found dead at his flat last month at the age of 61 after a long battle with throat cancer.

Thousands lined the streets of his home city, Belfast, earlier this week, for his funeral.

But despite being a proud Ulsterman Higgins regarded Manchester as his adopted hometown after spending large chunks of his life in the region.

And the M.E.N. can today reveal his former agent is to meet with council bosses to discuss creating a lasting reminder to the troubled star in the city.

Will Robinson, a talent spotter from Cheshire who was Higgins' personal assistant for five years in the 80s, is to hold talks with Manchester council's city centre spokesman Pat Karney.

Will, 43, remained close to Higgins until his death and believes it is only right that the 'Hurricane's' whirlwind existence should be honoured here.

He said: "Alex was a man of the people. I knwo there are plans for a memorial to him in Belfast but I think we should be looking at doing something here. It was a place he loved and where he spent most of his life."

Will has already identified a spot he feels would be perfect.

He said: "Alex used to love going to a club called Bavardage off Bridge Street near the Inland Revenue building.

“There's a square there which at the moment has nothing in it. It would be great to see a statue of Alex there with a cue in his hand.

"I'll be meeting the council and will see what we can do."

Coun Karney said he could not make any promises but welcomed the opportunity to speak to Will.

He said: "My door is open and we will have a chat about it and take it from there."

Will also said that plans are under way for a Manchester farewell to Higgins, who often hit the headlines for the wrong reasons after a number of high-profile spats with officials.

Some £10,000, raised for treatment for the troubled star at a dinner at Yang Sing earlier this year, was sent across the Irish Sea to ensure he had a fitting send-off.

And Will explained: "There was a contingent of over 100 old pals from Manchester at the funeral and we discussed doing something for him over here. Nothing has been sorted yet but it will happen."